Ezekiel Elliott issued his first reaction to reports that the running back is headed back to the Dallas Cowboys. Hours after posting an eyes emoji, Elliott took to X to share his response to rejoining the Cowboys.
“RUN IT BACK,” Elliott noted in an all-caps message on April 29, 2024.
The two parties have agreed to terms on a one-year contract but the Cowboys have yet to make it official. Gone are the days of $90 million contracts for Elliott. This time, Elliott is signing a team-friendly, one-year deal with $2 million guaranteed, a number that can grow to $3 million, per Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill Jr.
Questions still surround the Cowboys backfield and whether Elliott will resume his old role as the team’s feature back. Dallas surprisingly passed on taking a running back in the 2024 NFL draft.
Elliott joins a Cowboys depth chart that includes Rico Dowdle, Royce Freeman and Deuce Vaughn. None of these players appear to have a significant lead on the group to be the team’s lead running back.
Cowboys News: What Can Dallas Fans Expect From Ezekiel Elliott in 2024?
What can fans expect from Elliott during his second stint in Big D? At the very least, Elliott gives Dallas a boost in short yardage and goal line situations, areas the team struggled with in 2023.
Elliott posted career-low numbers last season with the New England Patriots but was also utilized much less than his days with the Cowboys. The former Pro Bowler posted 184 carries for 642 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns while playing in all 17 games in 2023. Elliott shined in the passing game, notching 51 receptions for 313 receiving yards and 2 TDs through the air, the best numbers for Zeke since 2020.
Cowboys Rumors: Could Dallas Still Add Another Running Back?
It will be worth watching to see if the Cowboys land another veteran, either via trade or free agency, to help shoulder the load with Elliott and Dowdle. Regardless, owner Jerry Jones did not seem concerned about the state of the team’s running back position.
“I’ve seen teams win the Super Bowl with running backs that they traded for midseason,” Jones said during an April 27 press conference following the draft. “So, the point is that this thing’s a long way from being over as to how you’re going to line up against X next fall.”
Cowboys Rumors: Ezekiel Elliott Garnered Interest From Other Teams But Wants to End His Career in Dallas
This deal came about as Jones met with Elliott and his representation at a Dallas area restaurant days before the draft, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. Elliott generated interest from other teams but his priority is to end his career in Dallas.
“BREAKING: [Former] All-Pro RB Ezekiel Elliott is signing with the Cowboys, per sources,” Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz noted in a series of April 29 messages on X. “Despite fielding offers from other teams, a source tells me: ‘Zeke wanted his legacy to be a Dallas Cowboy.’ A legend returns to The Star. Ezekiel Elliott wanted to finish his career with the Cowboy.”
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